Guide to the University of Chicago Board of Trustees Presidential Search Committees Records 1950-1977


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Table of Contents

• Descriptive Summary
• Information on Use
• Access
• Citation
• Historical Note
• Scope Note
• Related Resources
• Subject Headings
• INVENTORY
• Series I: Presidential Search, 1951
• Series II: Presidential Search, 1960-1961
• Series III: Presidential Search, 1975
  • Subseries 1: Formation of Search Committee
  • Subseries 2: Search Committee Meetings
  • Subseries 3: Search Events
  • Subseries 4: Nominee Files
  • Subseries 5: Publications, Ephemera, and Undated Material
• Series IV: Presidential Search, 1977

Descriptive Summary

Information on Use

Access

Series IV is restricted and will not be open for research until 2024. The remainder of the collection is open for research.

Citation

When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is:

University of Chicago. Board of Trustees. Presidential Search Committees. Records, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library

Historical Note

Presidential Search Committees are formed periodically through the Board of Trustees, following or in anticipation of the end of the current president's administration. Faculty members and trustees form the committee, which elects a new president from a pool of nominees, taking into account the suggestions and recommendations of the University of Chicago community as well as individuals and groups outside the university.

In 1945, the title of the chief executive officer of the University of Chicago was changed from "President" to "Chancellor." The title of the chief executive officer was changed back to "President" in 1961, during George W. Beadle's administration.

Scope Note

The records of the Presidential Search Committees contain 3.25 linear feet of material, spanning the years 1950 to 1977. Each series in the collection contains material pertaining to the proceedings of individual search committees. Series I contains material from the 1951 search resulting in the election of Lawrence Kimpton. Series II contains material from the search conducted from 1960 to 1961, resulting in the election of George Beadle. Series III contains material from the 1975 search resulting in the election of John Wilson. Series IV contains material from the 1977 search resulting in the election of Hanna Gray. Series I, II, and IV contain considerably less material than the more extensive records in Series III.

This collection does not contain material related to the search which resulted in the election of Edward H. Levi, who served as President from 1968 to 1975. Reference to Levi's resignation is found in Series III.

Series III, subseries 4 contains biographical material and publications of individual nominees which pre-date the 1975 presidential search. Series III, subseries I; and Series IV contain facsimiles of material from previous searches, which were used for reference during search proceedings.

The material in the collection includes minutes and agenda from committee meetings, organizational correspondence and letters of recommendation, biographical material and publications of nominees, University and committee publications, University press releases, financial and organizational material, notes, and ephemera.

Related Resources

The following resources are located in the Special Collections Research Center:

University of Chicago. Board of Trustees. Minutes

Presidents Papers

Beadle, George W. Papers

Hanna Holborn Gray. Papers

Hutchins, Robert M. Papers

Kimpton, Lawrence A. Papers

Levi, Edward H. Papers

Wilson, John T. Papers

http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/select.html

Subject Headings

• Beadle, George W.
• Gray, Hanna H.
• Hutchins, Robert M.
• Kimpton, Lawrence A.
• Levi, Edward H.
• Wilson, John T.
• University of Chicago
• University of Chicago. Board of Trustees
• University of Chicago. Chancellors
• University of Chicago. Presidents

INVENTORY

This series contains correspondence among University administrators, pertaining to the selection of the next chancellor following the resignation of Robert M. Hutchins in 1951. Lawrence A. Kimpton was elected later in the same year. The correspondence concerns the appointment of members of the Trustees Committee as well as alumni nominations for the position of chancellor.

This series contains material pertaining to the selection of the next chancellor following the resignation of Lawrence A. Kimpton in 1960. George W. Beadle was elected in 1961, serving first as Chancellor, then as President when the title was changed. Meeting minutes concern the formation of the search committee in March and April of 1960. Correspondence concerns Kimpton's resignation from office.

This series contains material pertaining to the search for the next president following the resignation of Edward H. Levi in 1975. John T. Wilson, Provost from 1969 to 1975 and Acting President in 1975, was elected in December, 1975. This series comprises five subseries of material. Subseries 1 contains publications, correspondence, and organizational material pertaining to the formation of the Search Committee. Subseries 2 contains material pertaining to the periodic meetings of the search committee; this material includes meeting agenda and minutes, correspondence, lists of nominees, letters of recommendation, notes and financial material. This subseries is arranged chronologically. Subseries 3, also arranged chronologically, contains material pertaining to special events during the search proceedings, including the meeting of the Subcommittee of the Trustee-Faculty Committee on the Selection of the President of the University; schedules, nominee Donald Kennedy's campus visit, and the election of John T. Wilson. Subseries 4 consists of files of nominees under consideration by the committee; the material includes biographical information, letters of recommendation and other correspondence, publications, manuscripts, and notes. This series is arranged alphabetically by nominee. Subseries 5 includes publications from the Chicago Maroon, College Management, University of Chicago Magazine, and University of Chicago Record, as well as ephemera from John T. Wilson's election and undated search material. The material in this series is concentrated in 1975. Biographical material, publications, and organizational material predating the search is included in subseries 1 and 2.

This series contains material pertaining to the Presidential Search of 1977, conducted in anticipation of John T. Wilson's retirement in 1978, and ending with the election of Hanna Holborn Gray in December of 1977. The material includes correspondence among administrators, trustees, and faculty; memoranda from the Secretary of the Faculties; press releases regarding committee activities and decisions; clippings of related Chicago Maroon news articles; and ballots used for nominating members of the faculty committee. Material in this series is concentrated in the first half of 1977, when committees were formed and the search was initiated. Correspondence, press releases, and publications produced upon Gray's election are also included. Facsimiles of material from the previous presidential search were used as reference, and are contained in Folders 1-3 of this series.